Queen and Pope back closer church links

Queen and Pope back closer church links

Tuesday 17 October 2000 06.33 EDT
First published on Tuesday 17 October 2000 06.33 EDT

The Queen and Pope John Paul II have met in private at the Vatican today and backed moves to bring the Anglican and Catholic churches closer together. They also discussed the troubles in Northern Ireland and Third World debt relief.

The 24-minute talk between the two forms the centrepiece of the Queen's four-day state visit to Italy and is the first time they had met since the Pope's visit to Britain in 1982.

Since then, little progress has been made towards unifying the different Christian traditions, although both hold it as an ambition. The two leaders had prepared speeches on the subject, but rather than read them they handed the texts to each other when they met in the Vatican library.

"I trust we shall continue to advance along the path which leads to Christian unity," the Queen's speech said. For his part, the Pope assured the Queen that "there can be no turning back from the ecumenical goal."

The Queen also stressed progress made toward peace in Northern Ireland in the conflict involving Roman Catholics and Protestants. "We are most grateful for your help and support for this process," she said.

The 80-year-old Pope appeared physically frail, albeit mentally alert, and at times the Queen seemed concerned for his health. She observed Vatican protocol and wore black with a veil. But, in a concession, she wore a three-quarter-length skirt and jacket rather than a full-length dress.